Steinberg Cubase 8 Manual

							Track Handling
Duplicating Tracks
141
The following applies:
• When this option is deactivated and no event/part is selected in the Project 
window, the up/down arrow keys on the computer keyboard are used to step 
through the tracks in the track list.
• When this option is deactivated and an event/part is selected in the Project 
window, the up/down arrow keys still step through the tracks in the track list 
– but on the currently selected track, the first event/part will automatically be 
selected as well.
• When this option is activated, the up/down arrow keys are only used to 
change the track selection – the current event/part selection in the Project 
window will not be altered.
Duplicating Tracks
You can duplicate a track with all contents and channel settings.
PROCEDURE
•Select Project > Duplicate Tracks.
RESULT 
The duplicated track appears below the original track.
Disabling Audio Tracks
You can disable audio tracks that you do not want to play back or process at the 
moment. Disabling a track zeroes its output volume and shuts down all disk activity 
and processing for the track.
PROCEDURE
• Right-click in the track list and select Disable Track from the context menu.
RESULT 
The track color changes and the corresponding channel in the MixConsole is 
hidden.
To enable a disabled track and restore all channel settings, right-click in the track 
list and select Enable Track. 
						

							Track Handling
Organizing Tracks in Folder Tracks
142
Organizing Tracks in Folder Tracks
You can organize your tracks in folders by moving tracks into folder tracks. This 
allows you to perform editing on several tracks as one entity. Folder tracks can 
contain any type of track including other folder tracks.
• To create a folder track, open the Project menu and in the Add Track 
submenu select Folder.
• To create new folder track and move all selected tracks into it, open the 
Project menu and from the Track folding submenu select Move Selected 
Tracks To New Folder.
• To move tracks into a folder, select them and drag them into the folder track.
• To remove tracks from a folder, select them and drag them out of the folder.
• To hide/show tracks in a folder, click the Expand/Collapse Folder button of 
the folder track.
• To hide/show data on a folder track, open the context menu for the folder track 
and select an option from the Show Data on Folder Tracks submenu.
• To mute/solo all tracks in a folder track, click the Mute or Solo button for the 
folder track.
NOTE
Hidden tracks are played back as usual.
Moving Tracks to Folder Tracks
You can move your tracks to folder tracks to organize them and to perform editing 
on several tracks as one entity. You can move any type of track including other folder 
tracks to folder tracks.
PROCEDURE
•Select Project > Track Folding > Move Selected Tracks to New Folder.
RESULT 
This creates a new folder and moves all selected tracks into it.
NOTE
You can also drag and drop tracks into or out of a folder track.
RELATED LINKS
Folder Tracks on page 114
Folder Track Controls on page 115 
						

							Track Handling
Handling Overlapping Audio
143
Handling Overlapping Audio
The basic rule for audio tracks is that each track can only play back a single audio 
event at a time. If two or more events overlap, you will only hear one of them: the one 
that is actually visible (e.
 g. the last lap of a cycle recording).
If you have a track with overlapping (stacked) events/regions, use one of the 
following methods to select the event/region that is played back:
• Open the context menu for the audio event in the event display and select the 
desired event or region from the To Front or Set to Region submenu.
The available options depend on whether you performed a linear or a cycle 
recording and the record mode you used. When recording audio in cycle 
mode, the recorded event is divided in regions, one for each take.
• Use the handle in the middle of a stacked event and select an entry from the 
pop-up menu that appears.
RELATED LINKS
Working with Lanes on page 145
Track Folding
You can show, hide, or invert tracks that are displayed in the Project window event 
display. This allows you to divide the project into several parts by creating several 
folder tracks for the different project elements and showing/hiding their contents by 
selecting a menu function or using a key command. You can also fold in automation 
tracks this way.
• To open the Track Folding menu, select Project > Track Folding.
The following options are available:
Toggle Selected Track
Reverses the fold state of the selected track.
Fold Tracks
Folds in all open folder tracks in the Project window.
NOTE
The behavior of this function depends on the Deep Track Folding setting in 
the Preferences dialog. 
						

							Track Handling
How Events are Displayed on Folder Tracks
144
Unfold Tracks
Unfolds all folder tracks in the Project window.
NOTE
The behavior of this function depends on the Deep Track Folding setting in 
the Preferences dialog.
Flip Fold States
Flips the fold states of the tracks in the Project window. This means that all 
tracks that were folded in will be unfolded and all unfolded tracks will be 
folded in, respectively.
Move Selected Tracks to New Folder
Moves all selected tracks to the folder track. This menu option is available, if 
at least one folder track is available.
NOTE
You can assign key commands for these menu options in the Key Commands 
dialog in the Project category.
The following option also affects the track folding behavior:
Deep Track Folding
To activate this option, select File > Preferences > Editing > Project & 
MixConsole.
If this option is activated, any folding settings that you make on the Track 
Folding submenu of the Project menu also affect the subelements of the 
tracks. For example, if you fold in a folder track that contains 10 audio tracks, 
of which 5 have several open automation tracks, all these audio tracks within 
the folder track will also be folded in.
How Events are Displayed on Folder Tracks
Closed folder tracks can display data of the contained audio, MIDI, and instrument 
tracks as data blocks or as events.
When you close folder tracks, the contents of the contained tracks are displayed as 
data blocks or events. Depending on the folder track height, the display of the 
events can be more or less detailed. 
						

							Track Handling
Modifying Event Display on Folder Tracks
145
Modifying Event Display on Folder Tracks
You can modify the event display on folder tracks.
PROCEDURE
1. Right-click the folder track.
2. On the context menu, select Show Data on Folder Tracks.
You have the following options:
•Always Show Data
If this option is activated, data blocks or event details are always displayed.
•Never Show Data
If this option is activated, nothing is displayed.
•Hide Data When Expanded
If this option is activated, the display of events is hidden when you open folder 
tracks.
•Show Event Details
If this option is activated, event details are displayed. If deactivated, data blocks 
are displayed.
NOTE
To change these settings, select File > Preferences > Event Display > Folders.
RELATED LINKS
Event Display - Folders on page 1065
Working with Lanes
The descriptions in the following paragraphs focus on cycle recordings with takes. 
However, you can also apply lane operations and comping methods on overlapping 
events or parts that you assemble on one track.
If you perform a cycle recording in the Keep History or Cycle History + Replace 
modes (audio) or in the Stacked or Mix-Stacked modes (MIDI), the recorded cycle 
laps are shown on the track with the last recorded take active and on top.
The Show Lanes mode gives you a good overview of all your takes. If you activate 
the Show Lanes button, the recorded takes are shown on separate lanes.
Show Lanes button 
						

							Track Handling
Working with Lanes
146
Lanes are handled differently, depending on whether you work with audio or MIDI:
Audio
As each audio track can only play back one single audio event at a time, you 
only hear the take that is activated for playback, for example, the last lap of a 
cycle recording.
MIDI
Overlapping MIDI takes (parts) can be played back simultaneously. If you 
recorded in Mix-Stacked mode, you hear all takes from all cycle laps.
Lanes can be reordered, sized, and zoomed like regular tracks.
To solo a lane, you can activate the Solo button for it. This allows you to hear the 
lane in the project context. If you want to hear the take without the project context, 
you also have to activate the main track’s Solo button.
Assembling a Perfect Take
You can play back, cut, and activate takes to combine the best parts of your 
recording in a final take.
PROCEDURE
1. Select the Comp tool or the Object Selection tool.
2. Bring a take to front to select it for playback, and listen to it.
3. Audition different takes to compare them in more detail.
4. If necessary, cut your takes into smaller sections, create new ranges, and 
bring them to front.
5. Proceed until you are satisfied with the result.
AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK 
After assembling your perfect take, you can improve your take.
• To automatically resolve overlaps and remove empty lanes, right-click the 
track and select Clean Up Lanes.
For audio, proceed as follows:
• Apply auto fades and crossfades to the comped takes.
• To put all takes on a single lane, and remove all takes in the background, 
select all takes and select Audio > Advanced > Delete Overlaps.
• To create a new and continuous event of all selected takes, select Audio > 
Bounce Selection.
For MIDI, proceed as follows:
• Open your takes in a MIDI editor to perform fine adjustments like removing or 
editing notes. 
						

							Track Handling
Working with Lanes
147
• To create a new and continuous part of all selected takes that is placed on a 
single lane, select all takes and select MIDI > Bounce MIDI.
• To create a new part and place it on a new track, select MIDI > Merge MIDI 
in Loop.
Finally, clean up the lanes as follows:
• Right-click a track and select Create Tracks from Lanes.
The lane is converted into a new track.
Assembling Operations
Unless it is clearly stated, all operations can be performed in the Project window 
and in the Audio Part Editor. Snap is taken into account, and all operations can be 
undone.
To assemble a perfect take, you can use the Comp tool, the Object Selection tool, 
or the Range Selection tool.
• The Comp tool modifies all takes on all lanes simultaneously.
This is useful if the recorded takes have the same start and end positions.
• The Object Selection tool and the Range Selection tool affect single takes 
on individual lanes.
If this is not what you want, you can either perform your edits on the main track 
or use the Comp tool.
NOTE
If you assemble stacked events on an audio track, select File > Preferences > 
Editing > Audio, and deactivate Treat Muted Audio Events like Deleted.
The following operations can be performed:
Operation Comp tool Object Selection/Range 
Selection tool
Select Hold down [Shift] and click 
on a take.Click on a take.
Bring to front
(Project window only)Click on a take. Click twice 
to toggle.Position the mouse pointer 
over the middle of the lower 
border of a take until it 
changes to a Comp symbol, 
and click. Click twice to 
toggle.
For MIDI this mutes/unmutes 
a take. 
						

							Track Handling
Working with Lanes
148
RELATED LINKS
Splitting Events on page 184
Comp
(create a new range and 
bring it to front, Project 
window only)Click and drag on a lane. All 
takes are cut at the range 
start and end.
If the audio takes are 
adjacent without gaps or 
fades and the material itself 
matches, the takes are 
merged within the range.-
Audition Press [Ctrl]/[Command] to 
activate the Speaker tool 
and click at the position 
where you want playback to 
start.See left.
Move Click and drag on the main 
track.Click and drag on any lane.
Resize Drag the resize handles. All 
takes with the same start and 
end positions are affected. 
Resizing is constrained to 
the end or start of the 
adjacent takes. This ensures 
that you do not create 
overlaps accidentally.Drag the resize handles.
Correct timing
(Slip Event)Select a take, hold down 
[Alt]/[Option]-[Shift] (the tool 
modifier for Slip Event) and 
drag with the mouse.See left.
Cut [Alt]/[Option]-click on a take. 
If you cut a MIDI part and the 
cut position intersects one or 
several MIDI notes, the result 
depends on the Split MIDI 
Events option (File > 
Preferences > Editing > 
MIDI).See left.
Adjust cuts Position the mouse pointer 
over a cut and drag to the left 
or to the right.See left.
Glueing cuts Bring a new range to front. Select a range spanning all 
the cuts that you want to 
glue, and double-click. Operation Comp tool Object Selection/Range 
Selection tool 
						

							Track Handling
Defining the Track Time Base149
Defining the Track Time Base
The time base of a track determines if the events on a track are positioned to bars 
and beats (musical time base) or to the timeline (linear time base). Changing the 
playback tempo affects only the time position of events on tracks with a musical time 
base.
PROCEDURE
• In the track list, click  Toggle Timebase  to change the time base.
R
ESULT 
Musical time base is indicated by a note sy mbol, linear 
 time base is indicated by a 
clock symbol.
Musical track time base
Time linear track time base
NOTE
Switching between linear and musical time  base results in a very small loss of 
positioning precision. Therefore you should avoid switching repeatedly between the 
two modes.
RELATED LINKS
Editing tempo and signature on  page  900 
						

							Track Handling
TrackVersions
150
Defining the Default Track Time Base (Cubase Pro only)
You can specify the default track time type for new tracks (audio, group/FX, MIDI, 
and marker tracks).
PROCEDURE
•Select File > Preferences > Editing and from the Default Track Time Type 
pop-up menu, select a default track time type.
RESULT 
If you selected Follow Transport Main Display, the primary time format setting on 
the Transport panel is used. When this is set to Bars+Beats, tracks with musical 
time base are added. When this is set to any of the other options (Seconds, 
Timecode, Samples, etc.), all new tracks use linear time base.
RELATED LINKS
Default Track Time Type on page 1054
TrackVersions
TrackVersions allow you to create and manage multiple versions of events and parts 
on the same track.
TrackVersions are available for audio, MIDI, and instrument tracks. You can also 
have TrackVersions of the chord track, the signature track, and the tempo track.
TrackVersions are useful for the following tasks:
• Starting new recordings from scratch.
• Comparing different takes and comps.
• Managing takes that were recorded in a multi-track recording.
NOTE
TrackVersions are not available for automation tracks.
TrackVersions are included in track archives and project backups. 
The TrackVersion key commands can be found in the TrackVersions category of 
the Key Commands dialog.